Thursday, August 30, 2018

A vigil for the whales
At Otis Perkins County Park on Lopez, Eastsound Waterfront Park on
Orcas, Shaw County Park on Shaw and Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan,
sympathetic community members gathered to join in solidarity with
Tahlequah on Sunday, Aug. 26. Concerned citizens held a wake for the
lost calf and a vigil for the remaining orcas of the Southern resident
killer whale pods. At noon, everyone stood in silent reflection for 17
minutes, a minute for every day that Tahlequah carried her deceased
calf. (San Juan Journal) See also: Hundreds crowd orca task force meeting in Anacortes John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

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Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Salish Sea News and Weather will take a break and post
when able to. Be back to a regular weekday schedule in September. Enjoy
the rest of the summer. Be well! Mike Sato.

Groups sue Boeing over Duwamish River contamination
A new lawsuit says the Boeing aircraft company is poisoning the Duwamish
River by pumping out pollution that is far and away above the legal
limit. KOMO-TV reports environmental groups Puget Soundkeeper and Waste
Action Project say the Military Delivery Center plant in Tukwila is a
hotbed for highly toxic polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which flow
out as stormwater runoff and then enter the food chain. The groups are
suing Boeing on grounds that it is violating the Clean Water Act.
(Associated Press)

Trump’s August Assault on Climate Policy
This summer has brought record-breaking heat around the world, and no
slowdown in the Trump Administration’s systematic undoing of climate
regulations. On August 2nd, the Environmental Protection Agency and the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly proposed freezing
the fuel-economy standards for cars and light trucks that were adopted
under President Obama. On Tuesday, the E.P.A. unveiled the Affordable
Clean Energy (A.C.E.) rule, a proposal to neuter Obama’s Clean Power
Plan, which was designed to decrease carbon emissions from coal-powered
electric plants. Together, these policies are as abominable as they are
unsurprising: they represent the fossil-fuel industry’s warmest
fantasies, and a fulfillment, more or less, of various Trump promises.
Carolyn Kormann reports. (New Yorker) See also: Cost of New E.P.A. Coal Rules: Up to 1,400 More Deaths a Year Lisa Friedman reports. (NY Times) And also: New Trump rule to aid coal-power plants unlikely to slow Northwest push for cleaner electricity Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

We're Getting Better at Saving Seabirds After Oil Spills
A new study of brown pelicans after the Refugio oil spill in California
shows how far oil rehabilitation techniques have come in the last few
decades.... Perhaps the biggest advance oil-spill wildlife rescue has
made in the last two decades...is recognizing that when a bird comes in
covered in oil, cleaning isn't the first thing it needs. A bird like
that hasn't been able to eat. Because seabirds get all of their water
from their food—they can't drink seawater—it's dehydrated too. An oiled
bird now first gets fluid, food, and heat to counteract the effects of
oiling, which mats their feathers and exposes their skin to the cold.
Francie Diep reports. (Pacific Standard)

Grapeview shoreline sale intended to protect salmon habitat
Great Peninsula Conservancy hopes that a small parcel in Grapeview will
have a big impact on Chinook salmon. The nonprofit conservancy purchased
2.5 acres on McLane Cove near Grapeview in Mason County this month, a
narrow strip that includes 1,200 feet of undeveloped shoreline that
serves as a nursery for young Chinook and other salmon. Aria Shephard
Bull reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Policy pivot: A new emphasis on restoration to protect Puget Sound
For years, a commonly used tactic for protecting threatened and
endangered animals in Puget Sound was to cordon off areas to fishing....
But protecting Puget Sound is not just about recovering certain species
of fish. As the region continues to grow, it is also about protecting
the livelihoods and diverse cultures of the people who live there, and
balancing their needs with the needs of the natural world. A team of
University of Washington researchers and their collaborators... found
that policies are shifting toward restoration projects that include
input from more groups and offer a range of benefits to Puget Sound,
including flood control, salmon recovery, recreation and habitat
protection. The researchers published their results online in June in
the journal Ocean and Coastal Management. Michelle Ma reports. (UW Today)

Seattle chef Renee Erickson pulls king salmon from menu
A Seattle restaurateur has stopped offering chinook salmon at her
restaurants. Renee Erickson, chef and owner of a group of restaurants,
including The Walrus and the Carpenter in Ballard, said she made the
decision after learning about the plight of J50, the young, ailing orca
whale. Ruby de Luna reports. (KUOW)

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Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Sea LettuceUlva fenestrata
The green macroalga widely known as Ulva fenestrata is an
important food source for a variety of microorganisms and herbivores,
especially certain polychaetes, amphipods, and crabs, along the
northeastern Pacific coast. It is often attached to shells, pebbles,
rocks, or pieces of wood. Although it may always start out anchored like
this, in quiet bays it may float about, except when it has been left
behind by a receding tide. Floating specimens tend to grow larger than
those that are attached to a substrate. The blades may reach a length of
1 meter and they are often extensively perforated, especially from
Oregon northward. (Encyclopedia of Life)

Researchers to try to treat ailing orca J50 for worms
J50, the critically ill orca whale, may have worms and veterinarians
want to give her a shot to kill the parasites. She has already received
one shot of antibiotics under an emergency care and feeding program led
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But she only got
half a dose because the dart used to give her the shot fell out of her
thick skin. Biologists want to try again and this time perhaps use a
needle that’s tough enough for elephant hide. The goal also is to give
her a shot of wormer. While the parasites she may have are no problem
for a healthy animal, an orca as emaciated as J50 is at risk. Lynda
Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

'Unhealthy' air prompts stage 1 burn ban in 4 Western Washington counties
A stage one burn ban goes into effect at 5 p.m. Monday in King, Kitsap,
Pierce and Snohomish counties because of unhealthy levels of wildfire
smoke. Health officials issued the ban to reduce any additional harm
from outdoor burning. Scott Sistek reports. (KOMO) And: Air quality plummets in Metro Vancouver as wildfire smoke blankets South Coast
The wildfire smoke blanketing Metro Vancouver has grown so thick that
the air quality health risk hit the highest rating in some areas Monday.
According to the B.C. air quality data map, Burnaby, Vancouver, North
Vancouver, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge and other parts of northeastern and
northwestern Metro Vancouver had a 10+ rating as of 11 a.m. PT. Monday.
(CBC)

As Trump Dismantles Clean Air Rules, an Industry Lawyer Delivers for Ex-Clients
As a corporate lawyer, William L. Wehrum worked for the better part of a
decade to weaken air pollution rules by fighting the Environmental
Protection Agency in court on behalf of chemical manufacturers,
refineries, oil drillers and coal-burning power plants. Now, Mr. Wehrum
is about to deliver one of the biggest victories yet for his industry
clients — this time from inside the Trump administration as the
government’s top air pollution official. On Tuesday, President Trump is
expected to propose a vast rollback of regulations on emissions from
coal plants, including many owned by members of a coal-burning trade
association that had retained Mr. Wehrum and his firm as recently as
last year to push for the changes. Eric Lipton reports. (NY Times)

Oceanic birds can smell what the ocean is cooking kilometres away, says U.S. research scientist
You know it as the smell of the sea shore, but to wide-ranging oceanic
birds with great sniffers, dimethyl sulfide is a sure sign of food
ahead. As Gabrielle Nevitt explains, dimethyl sulfide is created when
krill consume phytoplankton. And some birds in the order Procellariiformes
— albatross, petrel, fulmar — are especially good at detecting dimethyl
sulfide, perhaps up to 20 kilometres away. They are called “fishes of
the air” because they widely roam the oceans and only come to land to
breed. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Washington state approves killing of wolves that preyed on cattle in Ferry County
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has approved the
killing of members of the Togo wolf pack after the animals preyed on a
rancher’s cattle several times in Ferry County, according to an agency
news release. The Togo wolves have targeted cattle six times since
November, according to the state wildlife agency. Three of those
instances took place in the past 30 days, which is frequent enough that
the state is allowed to approve lethal action under its 2011 wolf
conservation plan. evan Bush reports. (Seattle Times)

Cantwell, Franz address salmon, orcas, wildfires in Port Townsend appearance
The environment took center stage as U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and state
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz discussed ocean health, orcas
and the wildfires burning across the state at the Jefferson County
Democrats’ Fish Feast. Franz was the keynote speaker at the Sunday
evening fundraiser at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, with 300 members
of the party attending. Jeannie McMacken reports. (Peninsula Daily
News)

Parade marks launch of 27th International Ornithological Congress, 1st Vancouver International Bird Festival
How about starting your week in a bird costume and parading around on
stilts? That's just what some Vancouver residents are planning to do to
kick off a festival celebrating local birds — and to mark an
international bird conference being held in the city.... The parade
kicks off a week of activities centred around the world of birds, and
marks the 27th International Ornithological Congress, which runs until
Aug. 26 at the convention centre. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

Nearly white bald eagle seen in Bay View
While bald eagles aren’t an uncommon sight along the shorelines of
Padilla Bay or throughout the region, at least one with unusual coloring
has been spotted this summer in the Bay View area. U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service staff believe the eagle — which has an almost white,
marbled appearance — has genetic mutations that prevent it from
developing the brown hues seen on other bald eagles. These types of
mostly white eagles, as well as eagles with spots of white, are called
leucistic. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Oregon Settles Lawsuit Over Stormwater Pollution
Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality has settled a lawsuit that
environmental groups filed over the state’s regulation of stormwater
pollution. When it rains, water runs over industrial sites and collects
toxics like copper, lead and zinc, which then wash into rivers and
streams. This kind of pollution has become a major source of
contaminants across the country. The settlement adds special protections
for rivers and streams that are already too polluted for salmon,
drinking water or swimming. Previously, the state treated permits for
those waters no differently than permits to discharge into cleaner
rivers. Tony Schick reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
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Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
The Great Blue Heron is the largest of the North American herons with
long legs, a sinuous neck, and thick, daggerlike bill.... Hunting Great
Blue Herons wade slowly or stand statue-like, stalking fish and other
prey in shallow water or open fields. Watch for the lightning-fast
thrust of the neck and head as they stab with their strong bills. Their
very slow wingbeats, tucked-in neck and trailing legs create an
unmistakable image in flight. (All About Birds)

Environmental groups call for closure of chinook fisheries to preserve endangered southern resident orcas
The growing realization that southern resident orcas are starving to
death has led green groups to urge stronger measures to save them. The
David Suzuki Foundation and the Raincoast Conservation Foundation have
called for an immediate closure of fishing for chinook salmon on B.C.'s
coast. Orcas rely on chinook to survive and it's their preferred
prey.... Under the Pacific Salmon Treaty, up to two million chinook are
caught each year on both sides of the border. According to the
environmental groups, the southern resident orca population requires
about 1,400 chinook each day to remain alive. Charlie Smith reports.
(Georgia Straight)

Board Upholds Water Quality Permit Denial For Longview Coal Terminal
A state board upheld the denial of a key water quality permit for the
Millennium Bulk Terminals project — a proposed $680 million facility in
Longview, Washington, that would be the largest coal shipping terminal
in North America. Senior Vice President of External Affairs Wendy
Hutchinson said Wednesday Millennium plans to appeal the decision, The Daily News reported . (Associated Press)

What just crawled, waddled or flew by? WWU professor has your answer.
Have you ever watched a bug scuttle, crawl or fly by and wondered “what
was that!?” Merrill Peterson’s new book, “Pacific Northwest Insects,”
might help you identify it. It took Peterson, a professor in the Biology
Department at Western Washington University, more than a decade to
research, write and photograph the insects for his book. Kie Relyea
reports. (Bellingham Herald)

State, North Mason School District discuss transfer of Theler wetlands ownership
The North Mason School District is engaged in serious conversations with
the Department of Fish and Wildlife to transfer ownership of the Theler
wetlands from the district to the state agency.... For decades, the
district leased the property to a nonprofit to manage a community center
on site and the trails, but mismanagement led the district to take back
control of the property in 2014. Arla Shephard Bull reports. (Kitsap
Sun)

Anti-pipeline protesters released days before week-long jail sentence ends
Several pipeline protesters were released from a British Columbia jail
on Sunday, a few days before their week-long sentences were set to end.
Seven protesters in all were sentenced to a week in jail term on Aug.
15, after pleading guilty to contempt charges in B.C. Supreme Court.
Five who were released on Sunday issued a joint statement, saying they
were imprisoned because of their opposition to the Trans Mountain
pipeline expansion. (CBC)

So, the Acid Ball has moved and Waypoint Park is open — what’s next on the waterfront?
On Aug. 14 the Port of Bellingham’s director of environmental programs,
Brian Gouran, briefed the Port Commission on what’s happened and what’s
on tap. That includes some changes, including a shift in priorities in
what is being developed by Harcourt as well as timing on construction.
Gouran touched on a variety of developments around the waterfront
district, formerly home to Georgia-Pacific’s pulp and tissue mill
operations near the downtown district. Dave Gallagher reports.
(Bellingham Herald)

US says conserving oil is no longer an economic imperative
Conserving oil is no longer an economic imperative for the U.S., the
Trump administration declares in a major new policy statement that
threatens to undermine decades of government campaigns for gas-thrifty
cars and other conservation programs. The position was outlined in a
memo released last month in support of the administration’s proposal to
relax fuel mileage standards. The government released the memo online
this month without fanfare. Ellen Knickmeyer reports. (Associated Press)

The Trump administration keeps losing environmental court cases
It turns out that unraveling Barack Obama’s environmental agenda is
harder than it looks. Federal judges have ruled against the Trump
administration three times in the last three days, arguing that the
administration short-circuited the regulatory process in its push to
reverse policies on water protections, chemical plant safety operations
and the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. In each instance, the courts
either reinstated the existing rule or delayed the administration’s
proposal from taking effect. Juliet Ellperin reports. (Washington Post)

How To Clean Sand: Volunteers Take On Microplastics At Oregon Coast
With the guidance of Seaside-based conservation group Sea Turtles
Forever, about 50 volunteers gathered to clean the sand near Haystack
Rock using unique screen filtration systems. Developed by Sea Turtles
Forever founder Marc W. Ward, the systems look like a cross between a
medical stretcher and a flour sifter. Dirty sand is piled on a sheet of
fine mesh stretched between two long poles, and the mesh catches plastic
and other foreign material while allowing the sand to fall through.
According to Ward, a static charge in the mesh can catch plastic
particles as small as 100 micrometers across. Jack Fisher reports.
(OPB/EarthFix)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
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Friday, August 17, 2018

Frilled DogwinkleNucella lamellosa
Frilled Dogwinkle are found from the Aleutian Islands south to central
California. It typically inhabits rocky shorelines from the low to mid
intertidal zones, and is often found in mussel beds. This species is a
predatory whelk that feeds on acorn barnacles and mussels by using its
radula to drill through the shell of the prey. This creates a hole
through which the whelk inserts a long proboscis to ingest the prey....
In the spring and summer the stalked, yellow egg cases of this species
can be found attached to rocks by their stalks. They are often referred
to as "sea oats." (Biodiversity of the Central Coast)

Environmentalists sue federal government in Seattle to protect endangered orcas
An environmental conservation group has sued the federal government,
alleging it failed to meet its obligation to protect the habitat of
endangered southern-resident killer whales on the West Coast. The
lawsuit was filed Thursday by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD)
to hold the government accountable for allegedly violating the
Endangered Species Act by not acting on a 2014 petition filed by CBD
that sought to expand “critical habitat” areas for the orcas from Puget
Sound waters to include the coastline down to near San Francisco. The
organization has filed 82 other lawsuits against the Trump
administration, demanding action to protect species from a type of giant
fly native to California to the grizzly bear, but this is the first
regarding orcas. Asia Fields reports. (Seattle Times)

Save the orcas? We'll have to do this one, radical thing
.... Ultimately, to save the orcas, we may have to face the prospect
that many policymakers have studiously avoided: not just modifying some
Columbia River system dams but removing them. Salmon advocates have long
argued that ultimately, the only way to restore salmon runs in the
Columbia’s main tributary, the Snake, is to breach the four Lower Snake
River dams. Taking out those dams would allow salmon to migrate into
millions of acres of spawning habitat in the Idaho wilderness — habitat
that may become increasingly critical to the fish as climate change
warms habitat at lower elevations. But that’s a politically sticky
proposition: The dams provide some 4 percent of the region's
hydroelectric generating capacity. They also create pools that allow
some farmers to irrigate crops without the heavy pumping lifts that
lower water levels would require. And the locks attached to them enable
barge traffic to reach Lewiston, Idaho, allowing farmers to ship grain
to Portland. Daniel Jack Chasan writes. (Crosscut)

NEB allows Trans Mountain to begin construction on parts of pipeline expansion
The National Energy Board says Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC can start
construction on sections of its pipeline expansion in Alberta and
British Columbia. The NEB says in a statement that Trans Mountain has
met all applicable pre-construction condition requirements for so-called
segments one to four from the Edmonton terminal to its Darfield pump
station near Kamloops, B.C. The board says it has approved more than 96
per cent of the detailed route for these pipeline segments. The NEB says
Trans Mountain can begin construction, including clearing right of way —
subject to other government permits and regulations. (Canadian Press)
See also: Burnaby protest camp torn down after RCMP move in Cassidy Olivier & Gordon Hoekstra report. (Vancouver Sun)

KEYSTONE XL: Court orders Trump admin to study new route's impacts
The Keystone XL pipeline hit another legal snag last night after a
federal court ordered the Trump administration to take a closer look at
environmental impacts. The U.S. District Court for the District of
Montana ruled that the State Department must conduct a fresh analysis of
the contentious oil pipeline's new route through Nebraska. The agency
approved a critical cross-border permit for Keystone XL shortly after
President Trump took office, but Nebraska state regulators later in 2017
approved a revised route for the Canada-to-U.S. project. The State
Department had argued that the route change did not require the agency
to revisit the 2014 National Environmental Policy Act analysis
underpinning the cross-border permit because it had already been issued.
The Montana court disagreed. Ellen M. Gilmer reports. (E&E News)

Federal Officials Outline New Plan To Lower Wildfire Risk
Federal officials have announced a new plan that’s meant to help lower
the risks of mega-fires. Northwest lawmakers are helping roll out the
strategy to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health. Sen. Ron
Wyden, D-Ore., called the plan a “real game plan for reducing the 80
million acres of hazardous fuels that constitutes the backlog on Forest
Service lands. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Forest Service
would work closely with state and local officials to identify the best
areas to treat using thinning, prescribed fire and “unplanned fire in
the right place at the right time,” said Vicki Christiansen, interim
chief of the Forest Service. Courtney Flatt reports. (NWPB/EarthFix) See
also: As smoke hangs over Northwest, study shows air pollution was already high Christine Clarridge reports. (Seattle Times) And also: Air quality 'high risk' for parts of B.C. due to wildfire (CBC)

Capsized tug now out of the water at the mouth of B.C.'s Fraser River
A tug that capsized and sank a the mouth of the Fraser River off
Vancouver has now been pulled from the water. The 19-metre-long George
H. Ledcor went down Monday night while hauling a loaded gravel barge on
the north arm of the Fraser River not far from Vancouver International
Airport. David Hoff with Ledcor Group, the operator of the tug, says the
vessel was lifted out of the water this morning [Thursday] and crews
are now preparing to drain potentially contaminated water from its hull.
The tug has the capacity to carry 22,000 litres of diesel fuel, but
officials said it was unclear how much was in its tanks when it sank.
(Canadian Press)

Not just land heat waves: Oceans are in hot water, too
Even the oceans are breaking temperature records in this summer of heat
waves. Off the San Diego coast, scientists earlier this month recorded
all-time high seawater temperatures since daily measurements began in
1916.... Between 1982 and 2016, the number of “marine heat waves”
roughly doubled, and likely will become more common and intense as the
planet warms, a study released Wednesday found. Prolonged periods of
extreme heat in the oceans can damage kelp forests and coral reefs, and
harm fish and other marine life. Christina Larson reports. (Associated
Press)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
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Reed Canary GrassPhalaris arundinaceaPhalaris arundinacea, sometimes known as reed canary grass, is a
tall, perennial bunchgrass that commonly forms extensive single-species
stands along the margins of lakes and streams and in wet open areas,
with a wide distribution in Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North
America.... The Halq'emeylem and probably other Salish groups used the
stems for decorating baskets. The stems were cut while still pliable and
green in May and early June (when the wild roses bloom)... It is not
clear whether reed canary grass is entirely introduced or whether it is
indigenous in arts of the coast and has extended through human
influence. Phalaris many be called 'canary' grass either because P. canariensis
is the source of canary seed or because the genus was first described
from the Canary Islands. (Wikipedia, Plants of the Pacific Northwest
Coast)

Efforts to right and raise the capsized George H. Ledcor are taking longer than expected, coast guard says
Efforts to raise the sunken and overturned George H. Ledcor
tugboat on the Fraser River are taking longer that expected, while
environmental officials claim impacts from the diesel spilled from the
wreck have been minimal. According to Phillip Murdoch, the
superintendent of environmental response for the Canadian Coast Guard,
the 20 metre tugboat has now been righted but remains underwater. He
said the next step was to lift and de-water the vessel, although windows
of opportunity to proceed with the operation were small due to the
complications of river currents and tides. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

Canada to phase out pesticides linked to bee deaths, sources say
The federal government will begin phasing out the outdoor use of
nicotine-based pesticides beginning in 2021, part of an effort to stem
the mysterious decline of honey bee colonies around the world. The Pest
Management Regulatory Agency of Canada will announce Wednesday a
three-year phaseout of two of the three main neonicotinoid pesticides
currently approved for use in the country, sources close to the decision
tell The Canadian Press. The agency has already announced plans to
phase out the third pesticide in all outdoor uses, meaning it can't be
sprayed or used to pretreat seeds before planting. Neonicotinoids, or
neonics, are a class of pesticides used by farmers and hobby gardeners
alike to manage pests like aphids and spider mites. Scientists blame the
chemicals for weakening bees, making them more susceptible to disease
and bad weather. (Canadian Press) See also: New pesticides 'may have risks for bees' (BBC)

Judge dismisses kids' lawsuit seeking to protect the climate they'll inherit
A judge in Seattle has dismissed a lawsuit from a group of children
seeking to protect their generation from climate change. The kids'
lawsuit said Washington state's efforts to reduce carbon emissions are
"grossly inadequate" if their generation is to have a bearable climate
to live in. The group of 13 youths, represented by Our Children’s Trust,
asked the court to come up with a plan to nearly eliminate emissions
statewide by mid-century.... King County Superior Court Judge Michael
Scott agreed that climate change is an urgent and devastating problem.
But he ruled that tackling it is a job for the political branches of
government, not the courts. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Garbage from Washington state's booming pot industry clogs gutters, sewers and landfills
Washington state’s penchant for getting high is trashing the place.
Plastic “doob tubes” and small Mylar bags used to package pot are
moldering in gutters, bleaching out in landfills and bobbing in
waterways. Concentrated nutrients and fertilizers left over from
cannabis growing operations are being dumped in public sewers and making
their way past wastewater treatment plants into Puget Sound. And
millions of pounds of weed harvest waste that could be composted are
instead getting trucked to landfills. This, in a part of the country
that prides itself on being environmentally friendly. Kristen Millares
Young reports. (Washington Post)

Injunction-itis in Kinder Morgan debate gives rule of law a black eye
Once again, with the regularity of clockwork it seems, the B.C. Supreme
Court is back at the old game of ordering police to do their job and of
insulating politicians from accountability. Usually, it’s to remove
First Nations from some logging or mining road. This time it is to get
rid of Camp Cloud, which was established to oppose the Kinder Morgan
pipeline expansion. Last week, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey
Gomery granted Burnaby an injunction ordering all structures, shelters
and vehicles be removed from outside the company’s tank farm within 48
hours. He also ordered a sacred fire burning in the camp be
extinguished. The protesters ignored him. For more than a quarter
century, this injunction two-step has occurred with regularity as one
level of government or another, or some giant resource company, uses the
court to transform civil disobedience into contempt of court. The
result, I think, is a black eye for the rule of law. Ian Mulgrew writes.
(Vancouver Sun) See also: Burnaby RCMP poised to remove Camp Cloud protesters Alex Migdal reports. (CBC)

Gravel mine case gets extension
Skagit County and Miles Sand and Gravel were given until mid-September
to discuss a settlement regarding the possible expansion of a gravel
mine northeast of Burlington. The company is seeking a special use
permit to convert 68 acres of forestland it owns into a gravel mine.
Residents have voiced concerns that the expansion would lead to more
truck traffic and they are afraid for children, pedestrians and
bicyclists who navigate the narrow roads and blind intersections in the
area. The county denied the company a permit on April 5, prompting the
company to appeal to the county hearing examiner. Both parties met in
May and have since been discussing a settlement. Brandon Stone reports.
(Skagit Valley Herald)

Logging in Upper Skagit River watershed put on hold as Seattle has ‘grave concern’
.... Much of the Skagit’s headwaters are protected by Canadian parks.
But, to preserve historic mining rights, the B.C. government set aside a
forested area the size of Manhattan that’s surrounded by parkland. It’s
known now as the “donut hole.” Crews this summer began to fell trees
inside the donut hole at the behest of British Columbia’s government.
Conservationists who once fought to keep Seattle from flooding the area
now worry that B.C. will allow the valley to be hollowed at its center.
Logging could threaten Ross Lake bull trout and disrupt possible
grizzly-bear recovery efforts, some say. They fear logging, and road
construction, will open the door further to mining, which they argue
represents a grave threat to Puget Sound salmon on the horizon. Evan
Bush reports. (Seattle Times)

Everyone wants to live in Seattle. Especially beavers
Seattle, you may have noticed some new neighbors around lately. Not the
ones who moved here to work at Amazon — that’s another story entirely.
We’re talking about beavers, which were all but eradicated from the
region just over 100 years ago. But now they’re back. Amy Rolph
reports. (KUOW)

B.C. lake infested with hundreds of goldfish just months after pets released into wild
Residents of a small B.C. lakeside community say they're dealing with a
goldfish infestation after someone dumped their unwanted pets in the
water. Pinecrest Lake, which is located about halfway between Squamish
and Whistler, had no goldfish in its waters last year — but now they
number in the hundreds, according to the Sea to Sky Invasive Species
Council. "People have been observing schools of 30 to 40 fish schooling
together at a time. They vary in sizes, some small, some up to five
inches [13 centimetres] big," said Clare Greenberg, the council's
executive director. Cory Correia reports. (CBC)

Appeal challenges discharge of Mt. Polley mine effluent to Quesnel Lake
The B.C. Environmental Appeal Board will hear a challenge of a
provincial permit that allows Imperial Metals’ Mt. Polley mine to
discharge mine effluent into Quesnel Lake. An amended permit was issued
by the B.C. Environment Ministry in April of 2017 to allow the discharge
of mine waste water that has been treated at a filtering plant as part
of a long-term water management plan at the Interior B.C. gold and
copper mine. The long-term plan is a requirement of the mine operating
after a dam that held back mine effluent in its tailings pond collapsed
in August 2014. The earth-and-rock dam has since been rebuilt. The
appeal, launched by Christine McLean, a member of Concerned Citizens of
Quesnel Lake, is set for a three-week hearing in Victoria beginning at
the end of January 2019. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Proposed Gold Mine Acquires 2 Permits From Federal Agencies
A massive gold mine proposed in western Alaska has cleared a regulatory
hurdle, acquiring permits from federal agencies. The Donlin Gold Mine
received permits Monday from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau
of Land Management after about six years of environmental review,
Alaska's Energy Desk reported . The project required a permit from the
Corps because it will affect thousands of acres of wetlands. The project
also includes a 315-mile (507-kilometer) gas pipeline planned to cross
federal land, requiring BLM approval. The conventional open-pit mine is
planned for a site 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of the village of
Crooked Creek in the Upper Kuskokwim River drainage. Representatives
from the mining industry and Native Corporations joined federal
officials at an Anchorage office to commemorate the signing of the
permits Monday. (Associated Press)

Canada Geese often not given credit for being smart and adaptable
Canada geese are rarely given credit for their intelligence and ability
to adapt to life in the city, according to a wildlife biologist with the
Canadian Wildlife Federation. Nathan Clements says the growing number
of Canada geese in Vancouver are an example of a species exploiting a
niche in an urban environment. “Canada geese are so adaptable,” he said.
“A lot of people don’t give them credit for how smart they are. Canada
geese have found the perfect location in urban settings.” He suggested
that Canada geese have moved into grassy areas in parks such as English
Bay, Sunset Beach and Granville Island because they are not surrounded
by natural predators such as bald eagles, raccoons and dogs. Kevin
Griffin reports. (Vancouver Sun)

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by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
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Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Opalescent nudibranchHermissenda crassicornis
Opalescent nudibranchs are one of the prettiest and most colorful
species of nudibranchs. Though their colors vary, they always have
bright orange areas on their backs and blue lines along each side.
Cerrata (fingerlike projections) on their backs are brownish
yellow, with white and gold tips. These "sea slugs" eat hydroids
and anemones, which are armed with nematocysts (stinging
capsules). These nematocysts don't harm the nudibranch; in fact,
the animal transfers some of its prey's unfired nematocysts to the
tips of its own cerrata, where they become part of the
nudibranch's defense system. Some experts believe that
nudibranchs' gaudy colors warn predators of these potent weapons.
(Monterey Bay Aquarium)

Crews plug vents, stop release of fuel from capsized tugboat in Fraser River
Crews have surveyed a capsized tug in the Fraser River, plugged its fuel
vents and stopped the release of fuel from its tanks, according to
Emergency Management B.C. The George H. Ledcor, a tugboat with
the capacity to carry 22,000 litres of diesel on board capsized late
Monday night near Vancouver's Deering Island, on the north arm of the
Fraser River. How much fuel has spilled still isn't known, however
there was a sheen visible in the surrounding waters and the odour of
diesel in the air, local residents say. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

Health officials warn public to avoid contact with Sinclair Inlet after shipyard sewage spill
Health officials have warned the public to avoid contact with the water
in Sinclair Inlet after 80,000 gallons of sewage from Puget Sound Naval
Shipyard spilled during a two-week period. The spill occurred between
July 30 and Aug. 14, according to a notice from the Kitsap Public Health
District. The notice did not state the cause of the spill and Navy
officials were unavailable for comment Tuesday afternoon. Julianne
Stanford reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Indigenous
Stewardship Of The Salish Sea In the Spotlight At Seattle
Public Library
Beyond the Frame – To Be Native is the name of a series of
exhibits around the region, honoring the 150th birthday of Seattle
photographer Edward S. Curtis. Curtis is a controversial figure.
He sought to document Native American cultures, based on the
belief that they would soon vanish. This year’s exhibits are
revisiting his iconic photographs by exploring contemporary native
identity. The project is led by The Seattle Public Library, where
a small exhibit focuses on indigenous stewardship of the Salish
Sea. Protecting x̌ʷəlč (pronounced roughly "hull-ch") is
the name of the exhibit, which is tucked between the stacks in a
gallery on the library’s eighth floor. x̌ʷəlč is the native
Lushootseed word for saltwater, or the Salish Sea. Bellamy
Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Breathing Wildfire Smoke Every Summer Could Have Long-Term Consequences
The skies across much of the Northwest are choked with smoke from
wildfires. Air quality east of the Cascade Mountains has deteriorated as
wildfires burn across Oregon and Washington. In Southern Oregon, the
air is hazardous. In Central Washington, air quality is unhealthy for
everyone.... While the air might be annoying on a day-to-day basis,
doctors say chronic exposure to smoke, year-in and year-out can lead to
long-term health problems, especially for people with underlying heart
and lung problems, children and senior citizens. Courtney Flatt reports.
(NWPB/EarthFix)

Only
the strong survived: resilient bees to pass strong genes onto
next generation
Last year's fire season was hard on honey bees, but for those that
survived, one beekeeper wants to pass on their strong genes via
artificial insemination. Diane Dunaway, an apiary inspector and
beekeeper at Soda Creek's Bee Happy Honey, north of Williams Lake,
said last year was the first time in 20 years that she was without
a surplus of honey. The bees refused to fly in the heavily smoky
conditions so they ate through a portion of their food supply
leaving the colonies short on nutrients for winter, she said.
Dunaway estimates she suffered about an 80 per cent loss of her
colony last year, but the honey bees that survived are a hardy
bunch with genes that are valuable to future generations. Anna
Dimoff reports. (CBC)

Human
errors are behind most oil-tanker spills
In January, the oil tanker Sanchi collided with a cargo vessel in
the East China Sea, 300 kilometres off Shanghai, China. The tanker
caught fire, exploded and sank, killing all 32 members of its crew
and spilling or burning more than 100,000 tonnes of petroleum
products. In May, China’s Maritime Safety Administration gave its
final verdict: both vessels had violated navigational protocols
and watch-keeping codes.... Even as the quantity of oil and gas
transported by sea has doubled since the 1970s, there have been
fewer spills greater than 7 tonnes — down from roughly 80 per year
to about 7 per year. Double hulls and fire-fighting systems that
use inert gases have helped.Two trends in the past decade threaten
those improvements. First, the accident rate for major tankers
(those that carry more than 15,000 tonnes, with and without
spills) almost tripled between 2008 and 2017: from 1 accident for
every 40 tankers to 1 in every 15. Second, to cut costs,
substandard ships with poor maintenance records and unqualified
personnel are increasingly registered in countries that have lax
regulation. The chance of a major spill occurring in a region that
is unable to cope could rise, putting fragile coasts at risk.
Zheng Wan and Jihong Chen report. (Nature Magazine)

Rare 'King-of-the-Salmon' fish washes up in Deception Pass
A Monroe couple was shocked to find a rare species of ribbon fish on
Chris Leone and Kristin Baerg were walking on the beach near Deception
Pass recently when something out of the ordinary caught their eye. “[It
was] just a flash of silver,” Baerg said. “I didn’t know if it was a
metal pan or what.” It turned out to be a 6-foot-long fish with an eye
the size of a human fist. Leone’s first thought was, “That’s a freaky
looking fish.” Its official name is Trachipterus altivelis, but most
people know it as “King-of-the-Salmon.” According to Makah legend, the
ribbon-like fish leads the salmon to their spawning grounds every year.
It was forbidden to kill one for fear of disrupting the salmon run.
Giuliana Viglione and Alison Morrow report. (KING)

Wind
Farms Want Permission To Kill More Bats — A Lot More
Wind turbines are proving to be more of a menace than expected to
opeapea — endangered Hawaiian hoary bats, the islands’ only native
land mammal. As a result, three wind energy farms are requesting
increases in the amount of bats they are allowed to “take.”
“Take,” according to the Endangered Species Act, includes
harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding,
killing, trapping, capturing or collecting the animals. In 2012,
the farms received federal and state permits that allowed them to
take a designated number of the bats. Two of permits were supposed
to be in effect for 20 years, the third for 25. Combined, they
were allowed to take 92 during those periods, but they have
already exceeded that number.... Each wind energy project
submitted its own take request, but if all are approved, the
original limit of 92 would increase to 483. Madison Lee Choi
reports. (Honolulu Civil Beat)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
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can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

YellowjacketVespula pensylvanica
The western yellowjacket is native to regions of North America, largely
in areas with northern temperate climates. Its reproductive behavior is
constrained by cold weather, which successfully reduces the number of
western yellowjackets in cold months. However, in the absence of cold
weather, this wasp's population can explode.... The western yellowjacket
is often a pest to humans.... Concentrated garbage has become an
alternative food supply, and colonies have emerged in and around areas
of human impact, such as recreational parks and resorts. Though they
tend not to sting unless a violent struggle occurs, they nonetheless
violently protect their nests and can sting repeatedly. (Wikipedia) See
also: As Oregon's Yellow Jacket Population Peaks, Expert Urges Safe Co-Habitation Brian Bull reports. (KLCC)

Scientists attempt to feed live chinook to ailing orca J50, but did she eat?
In an unprecedented intervention with a wild, free-swimming whale,
federal scientists on Sunday attempted to feed live hatchery chinook
salmon to a starving orca. The result of the effort Sunday afternoon was
inconclusive. Scientists could not tell what happened to the fish. And
the orca appeared to take no note of them. The orca, J50, is a 3
1/2-year-old member of the J Pod of the southern resident clan of killer
whales, and believed to be dangerously malnourished. Yet she did not
change her swimming pattern or in any other way seem to take note of,
let alone eat the salmon, said Brad Hanson, wildlife biologist with the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NW Fisheries Center in
Seattle. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times) See also: 'This type of thing has never been tried before,' says biologist on effort to help 3-year-old orca Lisa Johnson reports. (CBC)

Task force narrows list of ideas to save killer whales from extinction
The term “no silver bullet” has been heard again and again as dozens of
experts from throughout the state examine ideas that might help avoid
extinction for Puget Sound’s beloved orcas. The Southern Resident Killer
Whale Task Force, created by the governor, is considering short-term
actions — such as increasing hatchery production of Chinook salmon to
help feed the whales. But it is becoming uncomfortably clear that there
are no easy answers, no “silver bullet,” as the task force heads toward
the finish line for drafting an emergency recovery plan.... Whether it
comes down to small forage fish or any number of other issues — from
hatcheries to habitat recovery — task force members say improving the
food supply for Puget Sound’s endangered orcas continues to remain as
complex as it is urgent. The Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force
is scheduled to meet again on August 28th in Anacortes, Washington.
Chris Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

Whatcom County agricultural and conservation communities unite in a rescue mission
During the Dog Days of August, water is worth its weight in gold to the
local agriculture community. Without water, most crops won’t grow. So
what would cause Twin Brook Creamery owners Larry Stapp and Mark Tolsma
to voluntarily take water away from their own fields by turning off
their irrigation and instead pump water into a stream north of Lynden?
Would you believe fish? That’s exactly what they did, according to a
Sunday press release by Whatcom Family Farmers, in an effort to save
coho salmon, steelhead, resident trout, stickleback and other marine
life, including muscles and crawdads, that were stranded along the east
side of Double Ditch Road close to the Canadian border. The agriculture
community worked alongside the conservation and environmental community
Monday to help relocate the fish and agricultural wildlife to the other
side of the road, where water was still free flowing. David Rasbach
reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Anti-pipeline protesters in Burnaby refuse to douse sacred fire and dismantle camp
Occupants of Camp Cloud, the longtime anti-pipeline protest encampment
in Burnaby, say they will continue to ignore a court-ordered injunction
to dismantle the site and douse the flames of their sacred fire. Camp
spokesperson Kwitsel Tatel said about a dozen protesters have not
complied with a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that structures, shelters and
vehicles had to be dismantled and the fire put out by Sunday night.
Tatel said she has advised the remaining protesters to do whatever they
consider as their safest option and that some of the protesters have
offered to tie themselves to structures in anticipation of police
intervention. Behdad Mahichi reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Marine Worms Are Eating Plastic Now
On land, earthworms chow down on dead leaves and fungi and poop out tiny
bits of organic matter that enrich the soil. In the sea, it turns out
that some marine worms chew on floating plastic and poop out
microplastics—a troubling discovery brought to light in new research by
scientists in South Korea. Concerned about the effects of plastic
pollution on marine ecosystems, scientists from the Korea Institute of
Ocean Science and Technology collected eight discarded buoys that were
adrift off the Korean coast. The plastic buoys were made out of expanded
polystyrene, better known as styrofoam, and the researchers wanted to
see if anything was living on them. Led by environmental chemist Sang
Hee Hong, the team found all sorts of organisms on the surface of the
buoys, from seaweed and sea squirts to crabs. But when they took the
buoys apart, they were surprised to find marine worms living inside.
Buried deep within the buoys, polychaetes were chowing down on plastic.
Michael Allen reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Washington Is Abnormally Dry This Year, Oregon Even More So
The U.S. Drought Monitor says the entire state of Washington is
abnormally dry. In Oregon, nearly 90 percent of the state is facing
moderate to severe drought. “What we’re experiencing is part of what the
entire Western United States is experiencing,” Kristin Johnson-Waggoner
said. She’s a communications manager with the Water Resources Program
in Washington Department of Ecology. Last winter, snowpack in Washington
was exactly where it needed to be so that when it melted, there was
plenty of water in rivers and streams. But in May, the weather was
unseasonably warm and dry. “That sort of depleted that reservoir that we
would have depended on, Johnson-Waggoner said. Emily Schwing reports.
(Northwest News Network)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
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can unsubscribe at any time.

Monday, August 13, 2018

Where is Ketron Island? Who lives there?
Ketron Island, the site of a crash of a hijacked Alaska Airlines plane
taken from Sea-Tac Airport sits in the South Puget Sound. The privately
owned island is reachable only by ferry and is served by the Anderson
Island-Steilacoom ferry run by Pierce County. The population listed in
the 2010 U.S. Census was all of 17 people. The 221-acre island was
supposed to be named for William Kittson of the Hudson’s Bay Company,
who supervised the construction of Fort Nisqually in 1833, according to
the book Washington State Place Names. The name was bungled while
transcribed to a map, giving the island its name. Kenny Ocker reports.
(News Tribune of Tacoma]

After 17 days and 1,000 miles, mother orca Tahlequah drops her dead calf
Tahlequah the mother orca is no longer carrying her dead calf. “J35
frolicked past my window today with other J pod whales, and she looks
vigorous and healthy,” Ken Balcomb, founding director of the Center for
Whale Research, wrote in an email to The Seattle Times. “The ordeal of
her carrying a dead calf for at least seventeen days and 1,000 miles is
now over, thank goodness.” J35, also known as Tahlequah, is part of the
critically endangered southern-resident killer-whale population. Balcomb
said J35 probably has lost two other offspring since giving birth to a
male calf in 2010.... Another member of the population, a 4 ½ year-old
known as J50, also is ailing. Biologists were working over the weekend
to monitor her condition. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

An orca mom’s mourning adds new clue to another mysterious death
t has been heart-breaking to follow the story of the 20-year-old orca
mom named Tahlequah (J-35), who has been carrying her dead newborn calf
for nearly three weeks. But Tahlequah’s travails might add new insight
into the mysterious death of a 3-year-old orca, who washed up on the
Long Beach Peninsula in 2012. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water
Ways)

Judge approves eviction of protesters from camp near pipeline construction site
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has granted the City of Burnaby
an injunction forcing pipeline protesters to leave their camp outside a
Kinder Morgan tank farm. Justice Geoffrey Gomery says all structures,
shelters and vehicles must be removed from the site known as Camp Cloud
within 48 hours of an order being issued, which could occur as early as
today. The judge also ordered that a sacred fire burning under very dry
conditions and near several large tanks containing petroleum products
must be extinguished. However, the judge says peaceful protesting is
still permitted and individuals are allowed on the site as long as they
do not build more structures. (CBC)

US jury orders Monsanto to pay $290mn to cancer patient over weed killer
A California jury ordered chemical giant Monsanto to pay nearly $290
million Friday for failing to warn a dying groundskeeper that its weed
killer Roundup might cause cancer. Jurors unanimously found that
Monsanto—which vowed to appeal—acted with "malice" and that its weed
killers Roundup and the professional grade version RangerPro contributed
"substantially" to Dewayne Johnson's terminal illness. Following eight
weeks of trial proceedings, the San Francisco jury ordered Monsanto to
pay $250 million in punitive damages along with compensatory damages and
other costs, bringing the total figure to nearly $290 million. Johnson,
a California groundskeeper diagnosed in 2014 with non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma—a cancer that affects white blood cells—says he repeatedly used
a professional form of Roundup while working at a school in Benicia,
California. Glenn Chapman reports. (Phys.org) See also: Monsanto weedkiller case: Bayer shares tumble after payout (BBC)

E. coli prompts no-swimming advisories at three more Vancouver beaches
Vancouver Coastal Health has issued three additional warnings for
Vancouver beaches due to high levels of E. coli bacteria. As of
Saturday, Aug. 12, English Bay, Jericho Beach and Sunset Beach have been
added to the list of beaches where swimming and direct contact have
been deemed unsafe. Stephanie Ip reports. (Vancouver Sun)

More enforcement coming to Sunshine Coast as region deals with complaints of illegal shellfish harvesting http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/illegal-shellfish-harvesting-sunshine-coast-bc-1.4781427
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is sending another enforcement officer
to its Sunshine Coast base after members of the public flooded the
department with complaints about illegal shellfish harvesting in the
area. It's a problem the region sees every summer, but officials and
locals alike say this year has been particularly bad.... ​l​llegal
harvesting happens when licensed fishermen either take too much
shellfish, harvest in closed areas or use illegal gear. Others are
simply unlicensed fisherman picking through the beach. DFO says
harvesters are taking oysters and clams.

To expand salmon habitat, county floods farmland
Excavators chomped through the earthen berm at low tide. A few hours
later, saltwater flowed from Union Slough to flood former farmland on
Smith Island for the first time in 85 years. Friday’s breakthrough
marked a major milestone toward restoring chinook salmon habitat in the
Snohomish River delta. Snohomish County has been at it since 2002, when
it started acquiring land in the area.... The Smith Island Restoration
Project originated from the 1999 listing of Puget Sound chinook as
threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Somers, a fish biologist by
training, worked on salmon recovery planning in the early 2000s. He
helped set restoration goals that the county, the Tulalip Tribes and
other governments are now starting to realize. The biggest need was
restoring rearing habitat for juvenile salmon before they migrate out to
Puget Sound. The county project, along with work by the city of
Everett, will provide 377.5 acres of new habitat south of Union Slough
and east of I-5. That’s about a third of the land they’re hoping to
restore in the Snohomish estuary. Projects by the tribes, the city of
Everett and the Port of Everett are meeting the rest of the target. Noah
Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Sedro-Woolley, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group launch park project
East of Sedro-Woolley’s dog park and fewer than 1,000 feet from the
Skagit River sits about 12 acres of unused city-owned land — much of it
overrun by blackberry brambles. Through a first-time partnership, the
city and Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group have plans to transform 7
acres into an extension of the dog park and neighboring Riverfront Park.
Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

If you like to listen:A novel idea from an environmental activist: Secession
Northwesterners and people around the world have been inspired by Bill
McKibben’s prolific environmental activism.... McKibben was a staff
writer for The New Yorker for several years before his move to more
rural climes upstate. His first book, “The End of Nature,” introduced
many people to the concept of climate change. He later started the mass
environmental movement 350.org. McKibben is the recipient of a
Guggenheim Fellowship, The Lannan Literary Award and the Gandhi Peace
Prize. He spoke at the Elliott Bay Book Company on November 20, 2017.
John O'Brien reports. (KUOW)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
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can unsubscribe at any time.

Friday, August 10, 2018

PickleweedSalicornia virginica
"Some of the large bays of our area are bordered by extensive salt
marshes. Such marshes, inundated only by the highest tides, are
typically rather flat, except for shallow pools and tidal channels. They
are characterized principally by a very distinctive flowering plant, Salicornia. Actually, there are two species of Salicornia in our coastal marshes: S. virginica, a perennial state forms spreading mats; and S. europaea,
an annual that tends to be more compact. These odd plants, known by a
number of common names such as pickle weed and saltwort, bellowing to
the goosefoot-saltbush-tumbleweed family, many members of which are
associated with saline situations inland. (Seashore Life of Puget Sound,
the Strait of Georgia, and the San Juan Archipelago.)

Team Gives Medication To Sick Orca At Sea
A team of whale experts has injected an ailing orca with antibiotics in a
rare emergency effort to save her. NOAA Fisheries says the
international team reached 3½-year-old orca known as J50 Thursday in the
waters near Washington state’s San Juan Island. A veterinarian examined
the orca. The team of experts gave her a dose of antibiotics through a
dart and took a breath sample to help assess whether she has an
infection. NOAA says on Facebook that the team will decide next whether
to feed the free-swimming whale live salmon from a boat. If things go
well, the whale may then be given live salmon dosed with medication.
(Associated Press)

Researchers won’t take dead orca calf away from mother as she carries it into a 17th day
As Tahlequah carries her deceased calf for a 17th straight day, and
concerns mount about her health, taking the calf away is not an option
because of the tight bond between Tahlequah and the rest of the pod to
her baby — dead or alive, experts say. “These are very intelligent
animals, and the loss of this animal is quite profound for the matriline
and everyone who witnesses it,” said Sheila Thornton, lead killer-whale
scientist for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. She saw Tahlequah continuing
to carry the calf Tuesday as J pod traveled south to the outer coast of
Cape Flattery, Wash. Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research on
Thursday saw Tahlequah still continuing to carry the calf, born July 24,
for the 17th straight day. He estimated she has carried the calf more
than 1,000 miles. The carcass is starting to come apart; the calf’s
insides were visible atop Tahlequah’s head Thursday morning. Yet still
she clings to the body of her baby. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

U.S. appeals court orders EPA to ban pesticide said to harm children
A divided federal appeals court on Thursday ordered the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency to ban a widely-used pesticide that
critics say can endanger children and farmers. The 2-1 decision by the
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Seattle overturned former EPA
administrator Scott Pruitt’s March 2017 denial of a petition by
environmental groups to halt the use of chlorpyrifos on food crops such
as fruits, vegetables and nuts.... Pruitt’s ruling, one of many by the
administration to reduce federal regulatory oversight, had reversed a
2015 Obama administration recommendation to extend to food a 2000 ban on
chlorpyrifos that covered most household settings. (Reuters) See also: E.P.A. Staff Objected to Agency’s New Rules on Asbestos Use, Internal Emails Show (NY Times)

Bankers bullish on Trans Mountain despite uncertainties
Bankers for Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd. said the pipeline expansion
project will still be profitable, even if the costs rise by 25 per cent –
to more than $9-billion – and the completion is delayed by a year. In a
shareholders' circular released on Tuesday, the company includes a
“fairness report” from TD Securities Inc. on the $4.5-billion deal in
which the federal government will purchase the existing Trans Mountain
pipeline from Alberta and Vancouver, as well as the expansion project.
In the circular posted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
TD noted that Kinder Morgan had a project outlook in January that
forecast the capital cost at $7.4-billion, up from the company’s
original estimate of $4.1-billion. However, given the uncertainty around
British Columbia’s efforts to block the pipeline and the company’s
effort to offload it, it provided no more recent update. Shawn McCarthy
and Kelly Cryderman report. (Globe and Mail)

Work underway to restore Kukutali Preserve beach
Work is underway to remove a road and reveal the beach that was buried
beneath it at the Kukutali Preserve on the west side of the Swinomish
Indian Tribal Community reservation. With the removal of boulders that
lined the road and a section of the road dug away, high tide began to
creep over the exposed beach Wednesday.... When complete, a tombolo — a
long, sandy mound stretching from the mainland to the island — will
again connect Kiket Island to the mainland, instead of the road built
about 100 years ago to provide access to a home on the island. The
tombolo beach will allow water to move between Similk Bay and Kiket Bay
and provide habitat where forage fish could lay their eggs. Kimberly
Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Plan to replace Washington State Ferries' aging vessels remains unclear
The state's newest ferry, the Suquamish, will start transporting
passengers across the Puget Sound this fall. It marks the end of the
Olympic class ferry project that's been underway for 11 years.
Washington State Ferries is now recommending that more Olympic class
vessels be built....The life span of a state ferry is 60 years. Right
now, five ferries are more than 50 years old. In a preliminary
recommendation, WSF is suggesting a minimum of five additional Olympic
class vessels be built under the exiting contract with Vigor Shipyard.
Kara Kostanich reports. (KOMO)

SUN
Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind
waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. W
swell 4 ft at 9 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
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can unsubscribe at any time.

About Me

Salish Sea Communications provides communications and public relations services that raise visibility and engage audiences. Drawing on over 30 years experience in private, public and not-for-profit work, Mike Sato brings to you his skills and insights in developing and carrying out your print, electronic and social media projects and products. "I've been in the communications business since 1977 starting with community weekly newspapers then working for Seattle City Light, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Hawaiian Electric Company and, for 20 years, People For Puget Sound." Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told. WA State UBI #601395482